The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-10-10
INDIANA WHlTECAPS.

A Jacksonville letter to The Indian
apolis NewS says; There has been a
great deal of newspaper talk about the
Whitecaps, Knights of the Switch, ETC.,
so called, and most of the stuff that has
been telegraphed out has been colored
in all the vividness of the rainbow
hues. The correspondents have taken
special pains in all cases to make the
parties visited by the Caps or Knights
appear as martyrs in the holy cause OF
law and order, while quite the contrary
Is true in all cases.
An enterprising reporter has even
organized an opposing order OF mid
night raiders to correct the evil of the
Knights and Caps. 1t is hardly neces-
sary to say that this organization
was simply the creation of a fertile
mind.
Your correspondent took some pains
to get at the true inwardness OF these
night raidings in Crawford, Orange,
aud Harris son counties, and after care
full consideration of all the points, he
comes to the conclusion that the law
'lessness complained of is not near as
bad as the anarchy which would result
if the night.raiders were not in ex-
istence.
1 fail to find single instance where
the parties whipped or named did not
visibly deserve it. None of the cases
could probably have been reached by
law.
Without going into particulars, which
would make too long list, the outline
of oifenses punished by switching have
been drunkenness, lewdness, wife-beat-
ing, confirmed laziness, theft, and in
one or two instances gross maladminis-
traton of office.
OF course, the proceedings of the Or
ganize tons are without warrant OF
law. but they are only terror to those
parties who dserve the punishment.
In Crawford county the general ex-
preston of the best people-farmers,
store-keepers. saloon-keepers and work
ingmen-was that no person who kept
anywhere near straight had been or
would be molested, and the terror al
eyed to be upon the inhabitants was
not anywhere visible to the naked eye,
nor upon the closest inquiry.
Crawford, Harrison, and Orange
counties are very wild and rugged
regions. full of hiding-places and hooks
offering retreat for the lawless, rail-
roads are very few and county roads
are simply awful-in fact, the section
is, in its topography, not much better
than the notorious counties of Ken
lucky yet there lives there race of
very peaceful, intelligent, and law
abiding citizens.
Said Crawford county man to me:
IF it were not for the much condem-
ed organizations, our county would be
infested with the worst ragtag and bob
tails of creation. But we run them
lut, and our old county has fewer muir
Hiers, thefts, and outrages than Floyd,
Clark or. other counties. l think the
Whitecaps would be a decided advan-
tage to YOU"
But" argued the reporter, ''you
people could punish crimes by law"
1--WE can not always get the wit
nesses. People are afraid to testify be-
fore courts-afraid of the revenge of
toughs. Beside our modus operandi is
swift and inexpensive and has hither-
two been Just in every case"
care ever any of your night-riders
brought to justiceP"
"Well, yes. There was man and
woman whipped in Orange county some
years ago for lewd conduct. The
woman recognized one of the party,
her own brother-in-law, well-to-do
farmer. Three of the men were tried.
ioolishly pleaded guilty upon their law
yer's advice and paid the fine assessed
by the court at Salem. where the case
had gone on change of venue. Next
the woman entered suit for damages
and wrecked her brother-in-law finan-
cially."
The case was true for the same
thing had been told by the man himself.
10 party from here, while squirrel
hunting in that region.
The night-riders are undoubtedly
among the best in the counties. who
have the welfare of their region at
heart Their movements are secret
and swift, and If met with 1t is not best